London is the home to The University of Western Ontario (my alma mater) and Fanshawe College.
UWO as it’s often referred to is situated in the North End of the city, whereas Fanshawe College is located in the Eastern part of London.
I live very close to the University, not too far from where I lived while attending UWO.
Living in a University town has it’s ups and downs; the downtown is very alive at night with all the students throughout the school year. The downside is Moving Day, which occurs twice a year…the long weekend in September before school starts, and the mass exodus that is April 30th and May 1st.
London’s population is roughly 350 000 people, and according to UWO 2005-2006 enrollment rates, 33 ooo students were enrolled in UWO on a full-time basis,.
April 30th typically marks the last day the students can be a tenant in their house or apartment, and if they’re returning to UWO, May 1st is when they can move into their new place.
For these two days, every U-Haul, 
Budget or Discount moving truck within a 100 mile radius is on the road.
You do NOT want to be on any student housing side-street during moving days.
I had a physio appointment during my lunch hour today and I always cut through Campus. BIG mistake. I forgot about the May 1st-move-into-your-new-place traffic jams.
Here is today’s photo, taken with my cell phone:
If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you will see the GIANT U-haul trying to fit between the parked cars and the southbound traffic. What you can’t see behind the parked cars is the row of 10 student houses with people buzzing like worker bees to haul stuff in and out of the houses. Also, behind the U-Haul is a line up of 5 cars. Behind me, is another 10 cars. The U-Haul squeaked by me and my Subaru, with me whispering and muttering under my breath Italian threats if he so much as breaths on my car the wrong way.
Also, Moving Day brings the traditional Curb Couch. Leftover couches and furniture that didn’t fit in the U-Haul, or was just too disgusting to take to the next place are placed on the curb. Most of them never see the trash bin, because May 2nd is FREE CURB FURNITURE DAY in a University Town.
(this picture was borrowed, I couldn’t pull over to take pictures of the Curb Couches…but you get the idea)
Happy Friday!
Ciao for now,
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